Friday, May 15, 2009

Way back in the long-ago times known as my childhood, if you were to visit my home and enter the rooms of either my sister or myself, you'd likely think we were pop culture junkies. Both of us, even back in those long-ago times of television-by-antenna-only and three networks only, dug as deep as we could.

While I had Aurora models of Frankenstein and Creature From the Black Lagoon, my sis had a wall of glossy black and white photos from a wide range of television shows - but the ones I recall most were from a show then being broadcast regularly on NBC called "Star Trek". (I kinda think she had a crush on Chekov.) My somewhat scattered memories of those times include images of a copy of the script for an episode from the second season titled "Assignment: Earth" which she had as well -- I think she had gotten that via the TV studio as well, but my memory may be weak and it may have been sometime later she had that script. Still, she was the first "trekkie" I knew.

(I also have vague memories of a few posters in my room, giant black and white posters of Raquel Welch in that fur bikini from "1 Million Years B.C." and of Steve McQueen astride a motorcycle from "The Great Escape".)

And though I have been way to busy the last week to see the newest "Star Trek" movie/franchise reboot, I know that many friends have seen it and liked it and some have taken their kids to see the movie, which is a pleasant notion, sort of passing the fandom down a generation. But I ran across some behind-the-scenes photos of the original show via MetaFilter which I really like --

Spock and 1965 Buick Riviera

Kirk and a what the heck car is that??

Kirk, Spock and some Space Babes

While many decades and many shows and movies have followed the original show, it's good to know my sis and I were hip long before anyone new Star Trek was hip.

OTHER MOVIE NEWS:

At long last, a trailer for the new movie "The Road", based on Cormac McCarthy's novel. (As noted on Cinematical - "According to Esquire, John Hillcoat's film is (and other reviews have borne this out) as quiet, harrowing, and bleak as the novel is, and may just be "the most important film of the year". Unfortunately, the Weinsteins feel no one will see it unless there's an "explanation" and a hook of kick ass action, even if the film itself lacks the things the trailer sells. But at least you get a glimpse of the real film underneath, which is enough to cause you to choke up.")---

Tonight on TCM, one of the very first ever Summer Blockbuster movies airs - "You Only Live Twice". This was the first James Bond movie to open in summer, back in 1967 and earned over $100 million at the box office. It's got spaceships, ninjas, a killer soundtrack and score, and it is also the only Bond scripted by creator Ian Fleming's longtime friend and fellow writer, Roald Dahl. There would never have been an Austin Powers or The Incredibles without this movie.

And stick around after the second Bond feature, "Diamonds Are Forever", to see the pairing of Sean Connery and a very young Christopher Walken in the very under-rated crime thriller "The Anderson Tapes". The story, told from a perspective of a society under surveillance long before such concepts were considered a daily reality. It's from director Sidney Lumet, with music by Quincy Jones and the film holds up very well today. (Trailer for the movie here.)

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A touring exhibit of classic Hollywood photos is on display now at the Knoxville Museum of Art. Drawn from the archives of the John Kobal Collection, it includes works by George Hurrell, Sincalir Bull, William Mortensen and many many more. The KMA has the exhibit until October, more on the photos is here via John Kobal's site. Some samples?